Thy place is fill'd, thy sceptre wrung from thee,
Thy balm wash'd off, wherewith thou wast anointed:
No bending knee will call thee Cæsar now,
No humble suitors press to speak for right,
No, not a man comes for redress to thee;
For how can I help them, and not myself?

20

Sink. Ay, here's a deer whose skin's a keeper's fee: This is the quondam king; let's seize upon him. K. Henry. Let me embrace these sour adversities; For wise men say, it is the wisest course.

him.

Hum. Why linger we? let us lay hands upon
Sink. Forbear a while; we'll hear a little more.

K. Henry. My queen, and son, are gone to France for aid;

And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick
Is thither gone, to crave the French king's sister
To wife for Edward: If this news be true,
Poor queen, and son, your labour is but lost;
For Warwick is a subtle orator,

And Lewis a prince soon won with moving words.
By this account, then, Margaret may win him;
For she's a woman to be pity'd much :

Her sighs will make a battery in his breast;
Her tears will pierce into a marble heart;
The tyger will be mild, while she doth mourn;
And Nero will be tainted with remorse,
To hear, and see, her plaints, her brinish tears.
Ay, but she's come to beg; Warwick, to give :
She, on his left side, craving aid for Henry;
He, on his right, asking a wife for Edward.

Fiij

30

40.

She

She weeps, and says-her Henry is depos'd;
He smiles, and says his Edward is install'd;
That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more:
Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong,
Inferreth arguments of mighty strength;

And, in conclusion, wins the king from her,
With promise of his sister, and what else,
To strengthen and support king Edward's place.
O Margaret, thus 'twill be; and thou, poor soul,
Art then forsaken, as thou went'st forlorn.

50

Hum. Say, what art thou, that talk'st of kings and queens?

K. Henry. More than I seem, and less than I was born to:

A man at least, for less I should not be ;

And men may talk of kings, and why not I?

Hum. Ay, but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king. K. Henry. Why, so I am, in mind, and that's enough.

бо

Hum. But, if thou be a king, where is thy crown?
K. Henry. My crown is in my heart, not on my

head;

Not deck'd with diamonds, and Indian stones,

Nor to be seen: my crown is call'd, Content;
A crown it is, that seldom kings enjoy.

Hum. Well, if you be a king crown'd with con

tent,

Your crown content, and you, must be contented
To go along with us: for, as we think,
You are the king, king Edward hath depos'd;

And

And we his subjects, sworn in all allegiance,

Will apprehend you as his enemy.

70

K. Henry. But did you never swear, and break an oath?

Hum. No, never such an oath; nor will we now. K. Henry. Where did you dwell, when I was king of England?

;

Hum. Here in this country, where we now remain. K. Henry. I was anointed king at nine months old My father, and my grandfather, were kings; And you were sworn true subjects unto me : And, tell me then, have you not broke your oaths? Sink. No; for we were subjects but while you were king.

80

K. Henry. Why, am I dead? do I not breathe a

man ?

Ah, simple men, you know not what you swear.
Look, as I blow this feather from my face,
And as the air blows it to me again,
Obeying with my wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows,
Commanded always by the greater gust;
Such is the lightness of you common men.
But do not break your oaths; for, of that sin
My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the king shall be commanded;
And be you kings; command, and I'll obey.

90

Sink. We are true subjects to the king, king Edward.

K. Henry. So would you be again to Henry,

If

If he were seated as king Edward is.

Sink. We charge you, in God's name, and in the

king's,

To go with us unto the officers.

K. Henry. In God's name, lead; your king's name

be obey'd:

And what God will, that let your king perform;
And what he will, I humbly yield unto.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

London. The Palace. Enter King EDWARD, GLOSTER, CLARENCE, and Lady Grey.

K. Edw. Brother of Gloster, at Saint Alban's field This lady's husband, Sir John Grey, was slain, 102 His land then seiz'd on by the conqueror : Her suit is now, to repossess those lands; Which we in justice cannot well deny, Because in quarrel of the house of York The noble gentleman did lose his life.

Glo. Your highness shall do well, to grant her suit;

It were dishonour, to deny it her.

109

K. Edw. It were no less; but yet I'll make a pause.

Glo. Yea! is it so?

I see the lady hath a thing to grant,

Before the king will grant her humble suit.

[Aside.

Cla. He knows the game; How true he keeps the

wind.

[Aside. Glo.

Glo. Silence!

K. Edw. Widow, we will consider of your suit; And come some other time, to know our mind. Grey. Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay: May it please your highness to resolve me now; And what your pleasure is, shall satisfy me.

120

Glo. [Aside.] Ay, widow? then I'll warrant you all your lands,

An if what pleases him, shall pleasure you.
Fight closer, or, good faith, you'll catch a blow.
Clar. [Aside.] I fear her not, unless she chance to
fall.

Glo. [Aside.] God forbid that! for he'll take van

tages.

K. Edw. How many children hast thou, widow ? tell me.

Clar. [Aside.] I think, he means to beg a child of

her.

Glo. [Aside.] Nay, whip me then; he'll rather give her two.

Grey. Three, my most gracious lord.

Glo. [Aside.] You shall have four, if you'll be rul'd

by him.

130

K. Edw. 'Twere pity, they should lose their father's

land.

Grey. Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then.
K. Edw. Lords, give us leave; I'll try this widow's

wit.

Glo. Ay, good leave have you; for you will have

leave,

'Till